Water Properties Unit Study Guide

Vocabulary flashcards covering the structure and unique chemical and physical properties of water, including polarity, solvent behavior, cohesion, adhesion, surface tension, capillary action, pH, density, and specific heat capacity.

Water Molecule ($H_2O$)

A molecule made up of $2$ hydrogens and $1$ oxygen.

Cohesion

The ability of water to "stick" to other water molecules.

Adhesion

The ability of water to "stick" to other different molecules.

Surface Tension

The tightness across the surface of water caused by polar molecules pulling on one another, allowing water bugs to skid across the surface.

Capillary Action

The ability of water to move on its own through narrow spaces due to cohesion, adhesion, and surface tension (such as traveling up, down, or sideways through a paper towel or plant stem).

Universal Solvent

A term describing the ability of water to dissolve many materials.

Solute

The dissolved compound in a solution, usually a solid (for example, salt in a saltwater solution).

Solvent

The compound that performs the task of dissolving, usually a liquid found in a larger quantity than the solute (for example, water in a saltwater solution).

Solubility

The ability of a solid to dissolve in a liquid.

Polar Molecule

A molecule that has a negative charge at the oxygen end and a positive charge at the hydrogen end, allowing it to act like tiny magnets that constantly attract other water molecules or other substances.

pH

The measure of how acidic or basic a solution is, ranging from $0$ to $14$, where pure water has a neutral pH of $7$.

Density

How much mass is packed into a certain amount of space (volume); solid water (ice) is less dense than liquid water.

Specific Heat Capacity

The amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature; water has a high heat capacity, meaning it takes a large amount of heat energy to raise its temperature.